Toyota FT-86 II: The second coming of the Toyobaru FT-86

Toyota FT-86 II Tease

Just last week we finally got the first concrete news on the Subaru half of the Toyobura project that seems to have been bouncing around forever. Well, certainly since Toyota first rolled out the Toyota FT-86 Concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009.

Which made is believe that the whole Rear-Wheel Drive Sports Car Technology Concept designed to deliver an affordable, traditional-style rear-wheel drive sports car at a sensible price (when we first saw the Toyota FT-86 we were told around £17.5k ) was finally going to bear fruit. But that still seems a long way off after today’s tease by Toyota.

The photo at the top – or Photoshop, to be more accurate – is what Toyota are calling the Toyota FT-86 II Concept. Which rather puts the kibosh on the original Toyota FT-86 being a good guide to the actual production FT-86. Which all seems a bit odd.

You would have expected - especially in difficult economic times – that Toyota and Subaru would be keen to get a fun and economical RWD sports car to market as soon as possible, instead of fannying around with teasers and concepts. But no, almost two years on we’re still being teased and still waiting for official word on when the car will hit the road. Which must be some sort of tease record.

Let’s just hope that Toyota and Subaru get on with it after they both unveil their versions of the Toyobaru FT-86 at Geneva in March. We’re hearing production will start before the end of 2011.

But don’t hold your breath

By Cars UK